COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION latest..

9/8/2016

	Excessive deficit procedure: Council agrees to zero fines and new deadlines for Portugal and Spain
	On 8 August 2016, the Council agreed not to impose fines on Portugal and Spain for their failure to take effective action to correct their excessive deficits.  It also stepped up the excessive deficit procedure for both countries, setting new correction deadlines and giving notice of measures to be taken.  On 12 July 2016, the Council found that neither country had taken effective action to reduce its deficit below 3% of GDP, the EU's reference value for government deficits. The Council's decisions triggered sanctions under the excessive deficit procedure, on the basis of article 126(8) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU). Fines of up to 0.2% of GDP could be imposed but, following reasoned requests from Portugal and Spain, the Commission proposed on 27 July 2016 to cancel the fines. The Council decided on 8 August not to reverse the Commission's proposal.  EU fiscal rules additionally require the Commission to propose a suspension of all or part of the EU's structural and investment fund commitments or payments for 2017. The Commission decided however to make the proposal at a later stage, following a structured dialogue with the European Parliament.  The new deadlines set by the Council are based on article 126(9) of the TFEU. Portugalis now required to correct its deficit by 2016 and Spain by 2018 at the latest. Effective action must be taken by 15 October 2016, and both countries must submit a report by that date.  8/8/2016 Declaration by the High Representative, Federica Mogherini, on behalf of the European Union on the occasion of the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, 9 August 2016 On the occasion of the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples, we join indigenous peoples around the world in celebrating the richness of their cultures and their unique contributions to the world's cultural diversity. The European Union reaffirms its commitments to promote and protect the rights of indigenous peoples.  Despite the many positive developments in recognising the rights of indigenous peoples, there are persistent human rights violations, including killings and abuses against indigenous Human Rights Defenders in a range of countries. The EU is therefore stepping up its efforts to protect Human Rights Defenders working on behalf of the most vulnerable and marginalized, including indigenous peoples, and those campaigning on land rights issues.  The EU is also stepping up its engagement with indigenous peoples, in line with the EU Action Plan on Human Rights and Democracy. Before the end of the year the EU intends to prepare an overview of its policies and actions supporting indigenous peoples as well as a list of best practices. The promotion of cultural rights in accordance with the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples is also at the heart of peace-building through inter-cultural dialogue, as set out in the new European Union Strategy on international cultural relations. At multilateral level, the EU engages in a consensual manner in the ongoing debates at the United Nations concerning the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. In June of this year, the Organisation of the American States adopted the American Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The declaration is the first instrument in the history of the Organisation of the American States which specifically addresses the rights of the indigenous peoples of the Americas. The EU congratulates the OAS and its Member states, as well as the indigenous peoples of the Americas, on this achievement. The Declaration will add a new dimension to the EU's relations with its partner countries in the Americas.